A Phoenix's Promise
by Scarrr.Facee
Summary: That was the end of her relationship with Steve Rogers and with it all of his lies and betrayal. That was the day her heart broke in two, causing the mournful death of Natasha Antonia Stark. Toni Stark, however, emerged from the ashes of broken promises and treachery like a phoenix. WARNING -NOT Steve Rogers friendly -Fem!Tony -Toni & Peter are the cutest adoptive mother & son


"Why?"

She's barely holding herself together as she whispers, "Why? You promised you wouldn't do this, wouldn't _lie_ and _betray me_. I deserve to know **why**." As an escaped tear rolls down her cheek, in an instinctual response she stands up straight – weight 2/3 forward, shoulders down and back so she's feeling the pull across her chest, feet shoulder width apart and in a perfect second parallel, her head, shoulders, hips all in a flawless straight line, arms parallel to her body, head ten degrees up – and looks at the man she had trusted with everything. "I always knew you were a liar. But I guess I can't say anything because I've been knowingly ignoring the truth."

Silence.

"Coward." She spits as she turns her back on him. Turns her back on the man who she had given everything to. Turns her back on who she was, and vows to never become that dependent on someone, to let herself be consequently consumed by that damnable emotion.

That was the end of her relationship with Steve Rogers and with it all of his lies and betrayal. That was the day her heart broke in two, causing the mournful death of Natasha Antonia Stark. Toni Stark, however, emerged from the ashes of broken promises and treachery like a _**phoenix**_.

oOoOoOo **Two Years Later: Queens** oOoOoOo

Peter Parker was what could only be described as _lucky_.

He, of course, would never use such a word to describe the plethora of devastating events that was his brief life. At only six years old, he had already lost everyone important to him. He had no living relatives and in conclusion was currently on his way to an orphanage. The adults had told him repeatedly it was a place for "children waiting on a new family to come get them." But Peter knew better than that, it was a place for unwanted children.

To put it simply, he did not want to go.

No, he couldn't go, for it would mean that he was truly alone and unwanted in this cruel, cruel world. And Peter Parker, even at the tender age of six, was a fighter. He would not, could not go down that rabbit hole. So, he did what he did best, he ran. He ran faster than he had ever in his life; ran like the devil himself was chasing after him.

And boy did he run.

He ran straight into Toni Stark. Toni caught him just before he had run into oncoming traffic in a dashing attempt to escape his hunters. Just as he was turning around to fight off his captor, he met her eyes and was dumbfounded. Never in his short life had he met someone so small, so beautiful and yet so fierce.

"That was a close one, pipsqueak. You gotta be more careful in the big city." Her voice, as soothing as it was, snapped him out of his trance and he immediately started to try to break free of her hold.

"Let me go! LET ME GO! I need to run, they're after me!" He yelled as he kicks and squirms in an attempt to be free of her surprising strong grip. She went still and her grip tightened.

"Slow down there, kid. Who's after you?" She said in a commanding voice. Peter stopped trying to break free when he looked at her concerned look.

"The bad people are trying to take me to the orphanage, b-but I don't want to be unwanted! I won't go, you can't make me!" His little body was shaking violently in her arms, but despite those tremors his voice was surprising commandingly steady and the fire in his watery eyes was not to be dismissed. Toni was, to say the least, impressed.

She tapped her ear, "FRIDAY, call the lawyers and have them contact the adoption center that this little bugger was running from. I'm claiming this little monster as mine." She always was an impulsive buyer. After the tentative confirmation and a sharp warning from FRIDAY, she looked down at the fiery little boy in her arms and couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on her face. "You don't want to be alone?" He hesitated for a second and then nodded very slowly. "Me either, so how about you come home with me?"

Silence.

Toni watched as the little boy weighed his options, again she was impressed by his maturity for such a young age. Finally, she received her response in a small little voice, "Why?" She responded without hesitation, "Because no one deserves to be alone or to feel unwanted. Because you have a fire in those eyes that deserves to be nurtured. But mainly it's because you remind me of someone I knew in another life."

As the tears start to roll down his little face, he nods and says, "Okay, I'll go with you. But who are you?"

Toni laughs out loud and says with what could only be described as a joyful smile on her face, "Name's Toni Stark, munchkin. What's yours?"

"Peter, Peter Parker. You promise you won't leave me too?" His tiny voice breaks as he asks.

Toni pauses and lifts Peter so they're eye to eye, "I promise you with everything I am, Peter." Toni barely manages finish her sentence before Peter latches onto her with an iron grip and just sobs. Toni, after realizing his tears were happy tears from relief, just holds his trembling body. Toni swore with everything she had in that moment that this little boy would be protected and loved, even if it killed her. And Peter? Well, he knew he would be alright.

After all, Peter Parker was _lucky_.


End file.
